Female images in Soueif's fiction

Resumen

I have addressed in this research women’s issues which require a synoptic investigation into the religious, historical, and cultural context that skew the image of Islam. My aim is to differentiate between religion and the constructed traditions and customs, as well as to demonstrate that mothers in Arab society can solve the problem of gender discrimination. Moreover, the aim of this study is to illustrate the impact of colonial and postcolonial aspects on the elaboration of gender. In addition, I would like to participate in the current debate about Arab women and Islam, concentrating on women’s issues, in order to draw attention to unresolved subjects as well as to raise the social, religious, and educational consciousness of Arab society. In this regard, feminist Asma Barlas criticizes the hermeneutic patriarchal interpretation of the Qur’an in regard to polygamy and equality, since its teachings are open to various interpretations. Leila Ahmed believes that the modern discourses regarding Arab women should be studied in terms of history and the societies in which women have been raised. In addition, both feminists, Barlas and Mernissi, have traced the elaboration of the discourse on gender by referring to the history of Arab women. However, the case of female infanticide and the negative connotation regarding the birth of a female child, in the pre-Islamic period both indicate the dark era in which women have lived. The birth of a female child has been considered a shame upon her father. Furthermore, in the period of British occupation, Egypt has witnessed critical moments in the development of women’s issues under the impact of colonialism and socio-political confusion. For this reason, the Egyptian feminist, Sha’rawi, has participated in the debate about women and gender in the International Women’s Alliance in Rome. However, the condition of women in Islamic Arab society is a controversial issue and leads us to ask many questions. For example, why do the majority of people think there is no need for women to learn? Are women victims or are women and men both victims? Does religion need highly educated people to understand its commandments? How can we get rid of these constructed traditions and customs? These questions make us examine women’s conditions in the light of the social and religious construct of Arab society, as well as the influence of colonialism on the elaboration of gender through Sandpiper (1996), In The Eye of The Sun (1992), Aisha (1983), and The Map of Love (1999), demonstrating that the lack of knowledge is not only the cause of social problems, but also the first enemy of humanity. This research examines the colonial and postcolonial aspects that Soueif has employed in the above- mentioned novels. The Egyptian writer, Ahdaf Soueif, fictionalizes colonial and postcolonial theories and employs feminist postcolonial ideologies as the framework of her fiction. Moreover, the influence of psychological theories on Soueif’s fiction is obvious as she tackles the problems of loss, melancholy, loneliness, taboo, jealousy, and the notion of the uncanny. However, Soueif has experienced dislocation as she spent part of her childhood in London. Therefore, the issue of transculturalism becomes an important theme in her writing. She produces a new map of mixed identities where an exchange of conceptions is quite apparent rather than the clash of cultural prevalence. This paper also sheds light on the asymmetrical intercultural relationships of her characters, and the stereotyped representation of Oriental Otherness, as well as the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized. Through her novels, Soueif deals with issues of transculturalism, travelling selves, hybridity, multilingualism, migration, and mobility through space and time which are prevalent in the global age. Soueif, as a postcolonial writer, cannot escape the influence of the colonizer as she uses English to express post-colonial issues, as well as to communicate more effectively with different regions. In addition to that, Soueif, as a feminist, prefers to write in English because she feels free to criticize the patriarchal practices of Egyptian society as well as to speak about taboo. She highlights the “woman question” through her novels as the reader will be able to judge the wider context in which the female characters move. In Sandpiper (1996), “Melody,” the characters succeed in crossing the borders of different cultures and languages where they strengthen their multicultural beings. This novel sheds light on the possibility of cross-cultural understanding, identity crisis, loneliness, psychological problems, and a “displaced subject.” In “The Water-Heater,” Soueif concentrates on the human dilemma by portraying the internal conflict within the protagonist, Salah. This conflict is between his sexual desire towards his sister, considered taboo, and religious principles. The author actually succeeds in demonstrating the conflicts between the characters or between the protagonist and her/his circumstances. In addition to demonstrating internal conflict, Soueif explores the lives of migrants and their psychologies such those of Ingie and Milou, whom she uses to demonstrate her ability to depict the inner feelings of the characters as she deeply penetrates into the mysteries of the human soul. The language of the characters not only reflects social reality, but is also constitutive of such reality. In addition, the style of the novel conveys a hidden significance rather than an obvious meaning. Soueif’s autobiography, In the Eye of the Sun (1992), functions as a spiritual journey to her past life and illustrates Egyptian culture as well. Her autobiographical novel enables her to escape the restriction of the official novel style as she tackles the experience of an ordinary life freely. Mentioning Middlemarch in her fiction, Soueif reveals that she is influenced by Eliot’s fantasy. In addition, she is influenced by Shakespeare as she mentions Othello in both novels: in Sandpiper, “I Think of You,” and In the Eye of the Sun. Soueif as a postcolonial writer covers the issues of race, gaze, and cultural differences; Shakespeare also dealt with these topics in Elizabethan drama. Othello, the black Moor, represents the Other and the identity of the Moor is regarded as inferior to European identity. In addition, Soueif, like Shakespeare, penetrates into the human mind as she sheds light on the problem of jealousy in both of her novels, In the Eye of the Sun, and Aisha, “Her Man.” This novel, In the Eye of the Sun, deals with love, the portrayal of sexuality, marriage, divorce, the post-revolutionary era, Arab- Israeli conflicts, and social values. The characters are depicted out of real life whereas the heroine, Asya, reflects Soueif’s experiences and ambitions. Asya is a rebellious character who breaks away from tradition and indoctrination. The disillusion of her married life has led her to have a love affair with Gerald Stone. This novel poses the problems of marriage; for instance, what are the causes of a failing marriage? Do children stabilize marriage? Do men and women love differently? What is most important in preserving a marriage? In Aisha (1983), Soueif sheds light on female sexuality, traditional norms, sexism, tension, tribal society, virginity, the characteristics of arranged marriage and of romantic matrimony, the failure of marriage, polygamy, and divorce. Patriarchal oppression is more obvious in this collection of short stories than in the other fictional works. The protagonist, Aisha, is a young Egyptian woman who belongs to the bourgeois intellectual class. She has her own belief about the views of the world as she rejects the idea of sexism. Both Zeina and Tahiyya belong to a lower class and both of them have been socialized to respect the hierarchical patriarchal system. Zeina experiences the stress of society on the night of her wedding. Aisha is partly autobiographical as the protagonist exposes Soueif’s personal life and Arab culture. In other words, both novels, Aisha, and In the Eye of the Sun, are based on Soueif’s experiences. The fictional collection, Aisha, is modern in the sense that it is fragmentary and has no chronological sequence; therefore, I have referred to the traits of postmodernism. However, the restlessness of the protagonist, Aisha, is reflected in the fragmentation of the novel. In The Map of Love (1999), Soueif exhibits modern women who play an effective role in their communities such as Amal, Layla, Arwa and Deena. This novel is a postmodern hybrid narrative. Therefore, I find it necessary to mention the traits of postmodernism. In this novel, the author portrays the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, ancient Egyptian pharaonic history, women’s conditions in Egypt, the political situation in Egypt as regards the oppressive policy of the national government, the socio-economic level of the people, and the conditions of the Middle East, Arab- Israeli conflicts and terrorism. The genre of travel writing is woven in by mixing a hybrid from the nineteenth century and the turn of the twentieth century, as well as coloured by colonial romance. The two narratives in The Map of Love are parallel because both Anna and Isabel have fallen in love with men outside their cultural world, and both women are involved in politics. In this research, I begin with Feminism and Islam, and then I demonstrate the historical background of Middle Eastern women before Islam. I set out a biographical account of the authoress, and I also find it necessary to illustrate the historical background of the British occupation in Egypt until the date of independence. I also shed light on the influences of Shakespeare and George Eliot upon Soueif. I then proceed to analyse the text of the novel concerning the essence of the character, dialogue, soliloquy, climax, and the development of the structure and narrative. Soueif exhibits a good construction in weaving the theme of the novel with respect to the setting, clothes, colours, metaphorical terms, and figurative language. A study of the narration’s point and chronology helps us to understand the plot and its development. I go on to examine the work in the light of colonialism and postcolonialism. Moreover, in Sandpiper the introduction of the story is reflected in its ending, whereas in Aisha the conclusion of the story is unexpected. It is also shown that Soueif has spoken through the voices of her characters, such as through Wayne’s mother and Amal. Arab popular culture is embodied in Soueif’s novels; for instance, in In The Eye of the Sun, Taha feels upset because he has seen his sister, Chrissie, walking with her colleague, Bassam, in the street. According to Arab culture, girls can study and participate in social activities as long as they do not mingle with men. In reality, Arab society is conservative and Chrissie’s brother is afraid that people may talk badly about his sister, because this problem will affect their reputation and honour. In “The Water-Heater,” Salah and his sister Faten revere their mother because those who disobey their mothers are considered bad people. According to Arab society, members of the family should respect the mother, father and elder brother. It is seen that Faten is oppressed by the patriarchal control of her brother as he is considered the head of the family. In Aisha, “The Wedding of Zeina,” the importance of virginity is shown because it is associated with honour. In addition to that, both novels, In the Eye of the Sun and Aisha, illustrate the traditions of weddings. To conclude, women are like the mirror which reflects the reality and progress of their society.